The Citizen reports that a socialist party that claims it is aiming to seize power on behalf of the working class in a similar fashion to the former Soviet Union’s October Revolution is to be launched in SA.
Preparations are under way to launch the Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party (SRWP) in time to possibly contest next year’s general elections. Some see it as a potential challenge to the ruling ANC, SA Communist Party (SACP) and Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) alliance. The first pre-launch conference was held on the weekend. Behind the new party are senior members of the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa). Spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi stressed that this did not mean the party was a Numsa party, but that it was a party of the working class and the workers. She said the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) had confirmed the party’s registration a few weeks ago. Meanwhile, the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) last week announced its plan for rolling mass action in 2019 that would focus on what it termed the “human calamity” in the form of poverty and unemployment. The countrywide action would include demonstrations outside parliament on budget day in February. The action would culminate in a total shutdown strike on 26 and 27 March and a year-long celebration of May Day, starting from 1 May.
- Read Eric Naki’s full report on this story at The Citizen
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